Telemarketers... or is it???

[IluvInternet24/7]

 There are these people who continuely call my house. Its annoying. And when you pick up, nobody says anything. Is this like, some kind of computer thingy calling or something... I CLEARLY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, EVER.. I have their number on the Caller ID, but it doesn't say their name, its listed as "Unknown".
 So... if anybody knows what to do... thank I guess.



 P.S. We already told them to take our # off the list and they stopped for a while but now they are calling again! So don't suggest that. I just dunno what to do.

[nb7899]

I don't think that its's telemarketers if no one says anything.  Is it your area code?  And if it's not, then is it something weird like 000?  If it is, it might be someone on skype harasing you, whenever people call me on skype it gives some weird are code like that.

[frog]

It's called an autodialer. They are separate lines owned by telemarketing companies that dial customers to find out when they are most likely to be home. You can't dial back in through them except to go to a VMB that they don't check.

You can do a reverse look-up on the number to find out the company that owns the line.

[IluvInternet24/7]

I don't think that its's telemarketers if no one says anything.  Is it your area code?  And if it's not, then is it something weird like 000?  If it is, it might be someone on skype harasing you, whenever people call me on skype it gives some weird are code like that.

Its not my area code. I think it is 170, but I'm not positive. I'll find out next time they call for sure.

 

Its called an autodialer. They are seperate lines owned by telemarketing compainies that dial customers to find out when they are most likely to be home. You can't dial back in through them except to go to a VMB that they don't check.

 You can do a reverse look-up on the number to find out the company that owns the line.

Hey thanks. I probably wouldn't have thought of that.

[rbcp]

It works something like this - the autodialer calls up double the number of telemarketers currently available to try and sell you something.  The autodialer does this because it knows most people aren't going to answer or lines will be busy.  Only a few of the people dialed will pick up the phone.  But sometimes, more people pick up their phones than expected and there aren't enough telemarketers to talk to that many people.  So the ones that answer last, just get hung up on.

[Dr P4nyk]

Correct me if im wrong people but isnt that why we get caller ID, so that we can ignore numbers that are unknown or blocked?  If you dont have the sense to unblock your number, i dont have the sense to answer the phone.  It seems to make life a little easier.

P4nyk

[nb7899]

Correct me if im wrong people but isnt that why we get caller ID, so that we can ignore numbers that are unknown or blocked?  If you dont have the sense to unblock your number, i dont have the sense to answer the phone.  It seems to make life a little easier.

P4nyk

]

Yeah but some people block their numbers for a legitimant reason.  For example, my number is blocked because my father is a docter, and doesn't want patiants he has to call at home calling him back at three in the morning about a couph.  (You would be shocked at what people find necessary to call my dad's office about in the wee hours of the night.)

[rbcp]

Correct me if im wrong people but isnt that why we get caller ID, so that we can ignore numbers that are unknown or blocked?  If you dont have the sense to unblock your number, i dont have the sense to answer the phone.  It seems to make life a little easier.

Exactly.  I never answer anything out of area or from toll-free numbers.  My cell phone's ringtone for "unavailable" numbers is silence.

Yeah but some people block their numbers for a legitimant reason.  For example, my number is blocked because my father is a docter, and doesn't want patiants he has to call at home calling him back at three in the morning about a couph.  (You would be shocked at what people find necessary to call my dad's office about in the wee hours of the night.)

He could unblock his number when calling legitimate friends and family.

[.]

Pehaps he doesn't like anybody calling him

[silentneep]

Yeah but some people block their numbers for a legitimant reason.  For example, my number is blocked because my father is a docter, and doesn't want patiants he has to call at home calling him back at three in the morning about a couph.  (You would be shocked at what people find necessary to call my dad's office about in the wee hours of the night.)

He could unblock his number when calling legitimate friends and family.

I'm willing to bet that if you're a doctor, your friends and family do the same thing.

[nb7899]

Yeah but some people block their numbers for a legitimant reason.  For example, my number is blocked because my father is a docter, and doesn't want patiants he has to call at home calling him back at three in the morning about a couph.  (You would be shocked at what people find necessary to call my dad's office about in the wee hours of the night.)

He could unblock his number when calling legitimate friends and family.

I'm willing to bet that if you're a doctor, your friends and family do the same thing.

Yea, alot of people I know who use their home phone for some sort of buisness block their numbers.  It's just annoying to have to unblock your number everytime you make a personal call.  I mean is it really that hard to just pick up your phone?  If it's a telemarketer or someone who's being an asshole just hang up, but if it is important and you don't pick up, you're screwed.

[gangals]

One of my good friends has a blocked number, so every time I get a unknown CID, I know it's him, but luckly I don't get that many unsolicited calls on my cell, and if I do, their numbers arn't blocked.

[IluvInternet24/7]

Correct me if im wrong people but isnt that why we get caller ID, so that we can ignore numbers that are unknown or blocked?  If you dont have the sense to unblock your number, i dont have the sense to answer the phone.  It seems to make life a little easier.

P4nyk

I don't pick it up anymore, of course, now that I know who it is.